


A Night to Remember

by Terminiaterc



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Titanic References, because why not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 12:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17120963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terminiaterc/pseuds/Terminiaterc
Summary: Luxary, Romance, Heartbreak. All these thing can be found at sea, but can they be found in the air?. After managing to get ticket to a new life Fjord decides to leave Wildemount





	A Night to Remember

The pile of splinters that the innkeeper called a bed groaned beneath his weight as Fjord shifted to move his pillow over his ears in a vain attempt to block out the sound of a people and carts that rumble passed and came through the paper-thin, frosted windows. The half-orc felt like he was below rock bottom, jammed into a small cheap room with two other people in an inn that looked like it had been caught in a fire.

 

There was a tingle of coins from the corner of the room as a small green figure gathering up change that fell out overnight “Caleb? Fjord? We should get going” Notts’ voice said from the corner to the mound in the other bed. Caleb stirred slowly as Frumpkin the cat rubbed his face against his owners to wake him up.

 

The bleary eyed Zemnian slowly sat up looking like he’d be dragged through a hedge “Good morning Nott, good morning Fjord” Caleb said sleepily has he adjusted his coat which he slept in “I agree with Nott, we need to leave soon, the later we leave it the more people there will be”

 

Fjord grunted “Which is the last thing we want is attention” he stood up cracking his spine as he did “Caleb you got the tickets?”

 

“Yes, in here” he replied reaching into his long coat and pulled out a book with an envelope stuck between the pages “It’s hard to believe that this is actually happening”

 

Nott walked over, fixing up her bandages and mask to hide her goblin features “We have to get on the airship first”

 

“And since this is its first trip there’ll be a lot more guards and people” Fjord continued as he tossed his friends a few pieces of salted meat “I’d say we should stock up then towards the dock”

 

The trio emerged onto the wide and muddy street in central Zadash, frost crunched under foot and steam rose from the city into the dark and sunless sky as they headed towards the Penta-market. There were not many stalls or stores open this early in the morning, but they managed to pile enough (and steal, thanks to Nott) coin together to buy some food for their trip.

 

As daylight slowly lit the clouds as they joined a slowly growing crowd of people, all of them in the same state as the trio. They all carried bags, sacks and cases of belongings, still sleeping children where in the arms of parents who were bundled up against the cold wind that occasionally whipped down the street.

 

There was an underlying feeling of excitement in the crowd moved through the city, their goal was a tower just outside of the Tri-Spire district in an area that had been cleared. It was a wide and low tower compared to its much older siblings just beyond the wall and it was built for function and not style.

 

The stone foundation rose about five or so feet from the ground and from its corner’s large pillars of wood and metal rose into the sky, and upon those four pillars rested the one thing that had drawn so many people to this single place.

 

None of them had ever seen a ship this big before, its four propeller housings where easily as wide as houses and the outside of them was encrusted in hundreds and hundreds of magic levitation crystals, looking like stars in the night sky against the metal of the hull. A ray of sun managed to burn through the cloud cover and light up the side of the ship, causing a gasp to ripple through the cloud.

 

The undersides of seafaring vessel which where tall and narrow that allows them to slide through the waves, this ship however was low and wide, made from large sheets of grey metal riveted together to for this massive sky treading behemoth. However, what was on the keel is what caught everyone's attention.  Inlaid in bronze and copper along the entirety of the keel was a large relief of a raven with its wings spread in flight and its talons ready to grasp.

 

The curls and waves of the copper and bronze seemed to almost glow warm against the dull grey of the iron that surrounded it. Like they were veins of liquid golden, showing everyone below them the true meaning of wealth.

 

“I want to steal that” Nott said in an awe filled voice as her wide goblin eyes stared up at the monumental vehicle.

 

“Nott lets maybe not leave the Empire as criminals?” Caleb said down at the goblin “We don’t want to arrive in Tal’dorei in chains” They filtered into the ram that lead up to the large passenger entrance on the side of the ship and joined on of the lines that had formed in front of one of the several guards flanked attendants checking through tickets and bags of the passengers.

 

“Not very welcoming” Fjord commented looking the expressions of the guards.

 

“We’re the poor passengers” Caleb said pulling out their tickets “Why do you think we’re boarding through the cargo hold, they don’t care about our money”.

 

“Next please” the attendant called to them. As them approached Nott hid behind Fjord to make sure her mask and bandages where secure. “Tickets please” the attendant asked in a brisk tone, eyes flickering down Caleb’s’ clothes with a disapproving glint.  
  


“Two adults and one-” The attendants eyes feel to Nott who cowered behind Fjords eye “Child”

 

“Why the mask?” one of the guards ask, taking a step closer to Fjord to get a clearer view of Nott.

 

“She has been very sick since birth” Fjord said pulling a pained expression “The mask is to help shield her from illness”.

 

Caleb was always stunned at Fjords ability to lie in the heat of a moment” Please sir” Fjord continued lifting Nott into his arms and pulling close to him “We only want to leave”. The attendant sniffed disapprovingly but allowed them to walk into the ship with a brisk hand wave.

 

The trio nodded their thanks and walked into the belly of the ship along with the rest of the crowd. Ship security personnel lined the walkways that criss crossed above them in this cathedral sized hold, keeping an eye on them in case of any of them decided they had sticky fingers. Fjord was sure to keep Nott on his hip both to keep up appearances and to keep her from cutting their trip short.

 

They walked through the corridors, the crowd slowly but surely dissipating into their rooms. Caleb led the group as they wound through the corridors till, they eventually reached their lodgings.

 

“Wow this ship is huge” Nott said as they walked into the clean but quite cramped room that they had gotten, it was fitted with a double bunk in one corner and a camp bed next to it and rather surprisingly a small porthole style window.

 

“Indeed, I heard that the Empire plan this to be a flying advertisement for them” Fjord said setting his pack down onto the bed “We’re heading to Nicodranus first? Then on to Tal’dorei I think”

“Jai, it’ll take us till noon tomorrow to reach the coast” Caleb explained throwing his sack onto the top bunk.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, this your captain speaking” a voice said over the intercom “Welcome to the Shining Star Leisure Cruise company’s newest method of high-class comfort travel, The Raven's Wing”.

 

“This is high class?” Fjord said sitting on the bed, the mattress flattening like a paper bag.

 

“It’s better than nothing” Nott replied.

 

The voice on the speakers carried on “The flight to the Menagerie Coast will last eleven-ish hours, walking on deck is not permitted, walking around the higher-class quarters is not permitted-”.

 

The Captain droned on and one for several more minutes before a low, deep hum started throughout the ship. Caleb, Nott and Fjord looking around as the hum slowly became a vibration and the ship shuttered and groaned.

A few minutes later the ground shuddered as the airship was released from its moorings and could take off into the grey sky. The three of them crowded around the window as Zadash slowly became smaller and smaller, the towers of the Tri-Spires reached out towards them like long spiny fingers.

 

It didn’t take long for the clouds to obscure their vision and for their journey to finally begin.

 

**Author's Note:**

> All comments and kudos are appreciated and are the best way to kick me up the ass to write more.


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